Mechanical player for musical instruments.



W. J. RILEY.

MECHANICAL PLAYER FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1910.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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WITNESSEI INVENTO zzzzgm maze coumllA ILANMRAPl-l 1:0,, WASHINGTON. D. c.

W. J. RILEY. MECHANICAL PLAYER FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED 111111: 24, 1910.

1,001,448. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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w. J. RILEY. MEGHANIGAL PLAYER FOB. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1910.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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WIT ESS ES INV ENTOR WzZZz alrz JZZZZQZ PLANOGRAPH 60.. \vAsmNa'ro UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE? WILLIAM JOSEPH RILEY, OF MERE GREEN, SUTTON COLDFIELD, NEAR BIRIMINGHAIVI, ENGLAND.

MECHANICAL PLAYER. FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Josnrn RILEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield,'near Birmingham, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Players for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanical players for pianos, organs, and other musical instruments, of the well-known type in which a perforated music sheet is caused to travel over a tracker bar, formed with a series of air-ducts, by means of suitable driving mechanism.

The invention relates more particularly to driving and reversing mechanism of that class in which the drive from the motor or the like is transmitted to a main driving shaft carrying a pinion meshing with a gear wheel upon the spindle of the take-up roller, suitable clutch mechanism being employed whereby said pinion and gear wheel may be clutched to their respective shafts when driving in one direction, or whereby a sprocket or other drive wheel loose upon the main shaft, and which drives the music roll spindle may be clutched to the said shaft, and the drive through the pinion and gear wheel interrupted when driving in the opposite direction for rewinding the music. With mechanism of this type as hitherto proposed, the gear wheel upon the shaft connected with the take-up roller is fixed to said shaft and the pinion on the main shaft is loose, with the result that during rewinding of the music the pinion revolves at a very high rate, creating much noise and friction. According to the present invention, however, the spur wheel which is in mesh with the pinion remains loose upon its shaft during rewinding, but can be clutched to said shaft when the drive is in the opposite direction for paying out the music.

The principal object .of the present invention therefore is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of the driving mechanism and reversing clutches by which the pinion on the driving shaft and p the take-up roll gear or spur wheel always remain in mesh, it never being necessary to disengage same, thereby obviatlng damage Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 24, 1910.

Patented A11 22, 1911.

Serial No. 568,728.

or injury to the teeth such as is often the case when the pinion is slid into engagement in the usual way, and obviating noise and friction particularly during rewinding of the music.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents a front elevation of the mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention, same being shown in the position for winding the music from off the music roll on to the takeup roll. Fig. 2 is a similar View to Fig. 1, but showing the mechanism in the position for rewinding the music from off the take-up roll onto the music roll. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the mechanism on line at Fig. 1. Fig. at represents a transverse section on line 00 Fig. 1, with the spindle, clutch, and gear wheel shown in plan. Fig. 5 is a corresponding section on line m Fig. 2, the gear wheel being unclutched from the shaft. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section on line :0 Fig. 1, showing the device for retaining the rocker shaft which operates the clutches, in one or other of its two positions. Fig. 7 is a corresponding section on line 00" Fig. 2. Fig. 8 shows a horizontal section on line Fig. 1, showing the brake which is employed for preventing overrunning of the music while being wound on to the take-up roll. Fig. 9 is a section on line 00 Fig. 1, showing the system of stops for limiting the movement of the rocker shaft in either direction.

The same reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

The improved mechanism as represented, is carried by a metallic frame 1 attached to the end of the wooden casing 2 which carries the music roller 3 and take-up roller 4:, and also the tracker bar 5 over which the perforated music sheet passes on its way from the one roller to the other. The takeup roller 4 is carried upon a suitable spindle having a flexible coupling consisting of a ball-end 6 engaging within a socket 7, having a part-spherical seating, mounted upon a shaft 8 passing across the frame 1 and revolving in suitable bearings. Driving connection between the said shaft 8 and roller 4: is provided by a screw 9 passing through the socket 7 and ball-end 6 of the roller spindle, but there is a certain amount of play allowed the said end 6 within the socket so as to provide a flexible coupling allowing a limited universal movement in the event of the roller not being mounted quite true. or not being in exact line with the shaft 8. The music roller 3 is detachably connected by a aw coupling 9 to the enlarged end of a spindle 10 mounted to revolve within the upper part of the frame 1. In the example shown, the spindles S, 10, are adapted to be moved longitudinally to admit of the lateral adjustment of the music paper relatively to the tracker bar, by means of adjustable set screws 11, 12, engaging with the ends of said spindles through the medium of loose balls 13, 14;, which reduce the friction and allow of easy running.

The mechanism is driven from the usual air motor or the like which drives the sprocket wheel 15 mounted upon the main driving shaft 16 arranged across the middle of the framing 1, and mounted to revolve within suitable bearings carried thereby. The shaft may be confined against longitu dinal movement by any suitable means, such as the tongue piece 17 upon the frame en gaging with a grooved collar 18 upon the said shaft.

Mounted to revolve freely upon the driving shaft is the spur-wheel pinion 19 which is always in mesh with a large toothed wheel 20 freely mounted upon the take-up roller spindle 8, but confined against longitudinal movement upon said spindle by the tongue piece 21 carried upon the fixed frame engaging within an annular groove 22 formed around the boss of the wheel 20. The pinion 19 is prevented from moving longitudinally upon the driving shaft by a pair of side cheeks or flanges 23, 24, fixed upon opposite sides of the pinion, and which embrace the edge of the spur wheel 20. The main driving shaft 16 carries in addition to the pinion 19, a loose sprocket wheel 25 driving, by means of a chain, a sprocket wheel 26 fixed upon the music roller spindle 10. The sprocket 25 is maintained in alinement with the sprocket 26 and prevented from sliding on the shaft 16, by a tongue 27, fixed upon the frame 1, engaging with the grooved collar or boss 28 carried by said wheel 25.

hen the piece of music is being played it is necessary that the drive shall. be transmitted from the main driving shaft through the pinion 19 and spur wheel 20, to the spindle 8, so as to cause the roller 1 to wind the music sheet off the music roller 3, but when the piece has been finished the drive to the spindle 8 must be interrupted, and instead, must be transmitted from the shaft 16 through sprocket wheels 25, 26, to the spindle 10 in order to re-wind the music sheet on to the roller 3, the roller 1 now simply paying out said sheet. To effect these different operations, there is mounted upon the shaft 16,

by a key- 'ay and feather connection, a sliding clutch member 29 provided upon opposite sides with clutch pins 30, 31, one of which 30 is adapted, when said clutch is moved longitudinally along the shaft, in the one direction, to engage with a (ZOL'I'OSPOINling clutch pin 32 carried by the side cheek 2 1 of the pinion 19 Fig. 1), while when the clutch is moved in the opposite direction, the other pin 31 is adapted to engage with a clutch pin 33 carried by the sprocket 25 (see Fig. 2) thus connecting the pinion 19 to the shaft in the one case, and the sprocket 25 to the shaft in the other case.

Mounted upon the spindle 8 by a keymy and feather connection, is a similar clutch member 34, carrying upon the one side clutch pins 35, adapted, when the clutch is moved over to the left, to engage with similar clutch pins 36 upon the boss of the spur wheel 20, so as to connect the latter to the spindle. The clutches 29, 34, are arranged to be actuated simultaneously, so that when the pinion 19 is clutched to the shaft 16, the spur wheel 20 is also clutched to the spindle 8. To eifeetthis simultaneous movement of the clutches a vertical rocker shaft 37 is employed which carries a pair of arms 38, 39, provided at their outer ends (see Figs. 3 and with rollers 10, 11, respectively engaging with annular grooves 12, 43, formed around the clutches 29, 34. When the rocker shaft is turned by the arm 44 (operated by any suitable device) in the one direction, the arms 38, 39, will cause the clutches 29, 34;, to move to the left and con"- nect the pinion 19 and spur wheel 20 respectively to the shaft 16 and spindle 8, so that the drive is from shaft 16 t0 clutch 29, through pins 30, 32, to pinion 19 and from thence to spur wheel 20 through pins 36, 35, to clutch 3%, spindle S, and take-up roller 4:, which winds-up the music sheet as itis paid off the roller When, however, the rocker shaft- 37 is turned in the opposite direction, the clutches move to the right and disengage the pinion 19 and spur wheel 20, but the pin 31 011 the clutch 29 now engages -with the pin 33 on the sprocket wheel 25,

so that the drive is now from shaft 16 to clutch 29, through pins 31, 33, to sprocket wheel 25 and thence through the drive chain to spindle 10 and music roller 3, which latter is driven at a considerably greater rate than was the roller 4, so as to quickly rewind the music after the piece has been played. While this re-winding is taking place the pinion 19 and spur-wheel 20 re main loose upon their shafts.

To limit the movement of the rocker shaft 37 in one direction or the other the said shaft carries, near its upper end, a peg 45 adapted to cooperate with a pair of stops 41:6, 17, carried by the underside of the top bearing bracket 48, while in order to maintain the said rocker shaft in one or other of its two positions it carries near its lower end a forked arm 49 to which is knucklejointed, at 50, a short rod or bar 51 whose outer end engages within a flared hole 52 in a bracket 53 attached to the frame 1. The said rod 51 is provided with a collar 54 and is surrounded by a coiled spring which bears at one end against said collar 54 and at the other end against the inner face of the bracket 53. lVhen the rocker shaft is in the position represented in Fig. l, the retaining device takes the position shown in Fig. 6, the arm 49 and rod 51 assuming an angle with respect to one another, while when the rocker is as shown in Fig. 2, then the retaining device takes the position represented in Fig. 7, the arm 49 and rod 51 having moved to the other side of the center line and still forming an angle with one an other. In both cases the spring acts so as to maintain the rocker shaft in the position in which it has been placed.

To prevent the over-running of the music sheet during its winding from the music roll to take-up roll, a brake is employed. This consists of a spring arm 56 carried by a collar 57 fixed to the rocker shaft 37, and adapted, when the latter is actuated so as to clutch the pinion 19 and spur wheel 20 to their shafts, to bear against the face of a brake disk 58, fast upon the spindle 10. The motion of the music roller is thus retarded. A brake is also provided for preventing the take-up roller 4 over-running the music while the same is being re-wound on to the music roll 3, and comprises a spring arm 59 fixed at its lower end to the inside of the frame 1, and having its upper end cranked or bent outward and forked so as to embrace the shaft 8. When the rocker shaft is turned so as to reverse the motion of the mechanism and clutch the sprocket wheel 25 to the shaft 16, the end face of the sliding clutch member Set bears against the end of the spring arm 59 (which is suitably covered) as shown in Fig. 2, the motion of the spindle 8 and take-up roller being thus retarded. Adjustment of the brake can be effected by the screw 60.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. In mechanical players for musical instruments, the combination with a longitudinally immovable main driving shaft, of a pinion loosely mounted thereon, a take-up roller spindle having a large toothed wheel loosely mounted thereon and always held in mesh with the said pinion, a driving wheel loose on the said shaft, a music roller spindle having a motion receiving wheel thereon connected to said driving wheel, a rocker shaft, and two clutches operated from the rocker shaft to connect either the large toothed wheel and its pinion or the driving wheel to its respective shaft.

2. In mechanical players for musical instruments, the combination with a main driving shaft fixed against longitudinal movement, of a pinion loosely mounted thereon, a take-up roller spindle having a large toothed wheel loosely mounted on the same and always held in mesh with the said pinion, a sprocket wheel loose on the said shaft, a music roller spindle having a sprocket wheel thereon operatively connected to the sprocket wheel on the shaft, and two clutches, one on the driving shaft operative to connect the pinion or the sprocket wheel to the said driving shaft and the other carried by the take-up roller spindle to connect the large toothed wheel thereon with said spindle, the clutches being simultaneously operable.

3. In mechanical players for musical instruments, the combination with a main driving shaft fixed against longitudinal movement, of a pinion loosely mounted thereon, a take-up roller spindle having a large toothed wheel loosely mounted on the same and always held in mesh with the said pinion, a sprocket wheel loose on the said shaft, a music roller spindle having a sprocket wheel thereon operatively connected to the sprocket wheel on the shaft, two clutches, one on the driving shaft operative to connect the pinion or the sprocket wheel to the said driving shaft and the other carried by the take-up roller spindle to connect the large toothed wheel thereon with said spindle, the clutches being simultaneously operable, and a flexible coupling to compensate for inaccuracies in the alinement of the take-up roller with its driving means and disposed between the take-up and the roller spindle.

4. In mechanical players for musical instruments, the combination with the main driving shaft, of a pinion mounted thereon and engaging with a spur wheel upon the music take-up roller, a wheel loose on said shaft and in driving connection with the music roller spindle, clutches operated from a rocker shaft for placing either the music roller or the take-up roller in driving connection with the said driving shaft, and means for retaining the rocker shaft in either of its two positions, said means comprising an arm upon the rocker shaft, a rod jointed to the end of said arm so as to turn in a plane at right angles to the rocker shaft, and engaging within an opening in the frame, and a spring surrounding the rod and hearing at one end against an abutment upon the latter and at the other end against the said frame, so that when the arm and jointed rod are taken to one side or other of the center line the spring acts so as to maintain the rocker shaft in the position in which it has been placed, as herein described.

5. In mechanical players for musical instruments, the combination with the main driving shaft, of a pinion mounted thereon and engaging with a spur wheel upon the music take-up roller, a wheel loose on said shaft and in driving connection with the music roller spindle, sliding clutches for.

placing either the music roller or the takeup roller in driving connection with the said driving shaft, a vertical rocker shaft for actuating the clutches, arms carried thereby, and horizontally arranged rollers upon cranked ends of said arms which engage within grooves around the sliding clutch members, as herein described.

6. In mechanical players for musical instruments, the combination with the main driving shaft, of a pinion loosely mounted on said shaft, a take-up roller having a spindle with a large toothed gear loosely mounted thereon and continually engaging the said pinion, a driving wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, a music roller having a spindle provided with a motion receiving wheel connected to said driving wheel, two clutches, one on the driving shaft operative to connect the pinion or the sprocket wheel to the said driving shaft and the other carried by the take-up roller spindle to connect the large toothed wheel thereon with said spindle, the clutches being simultaneously operable, adjusting screws cooperating with the ends of the shafts connected with the music and take-up roller spindles to effect lateral adjustment of the music, and loose balls interposed between said adjusting screws and the ends of the shafts.

7. In mechanical players for musical. instruments, the combination with the main driving shaft, of a pinion mounted thereon and gee ing with a spur wheel loose upon a shaft connected with the music take-up roller, a wheel loosely mounted on the driving shaft and in driving connection with the music roller spindle, a rocker shaft, sliding clutches actuated by the rocker shaft for placing either the music roller or the take-up roller in driving connection with the said driving shaft and for clutching the loose spur wheel to its shaft, and a brake for preventing over-running of the take-up roller consisting of a flexible spring arm attached to the frame and adapted to bear against the end of the sliding clutch member employed for connecting the loose spur wheel to its shaft when the said clutch member is moved longitudinally to disconnect said spur wheel, as herein described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IVILLIAM JOSEPH RILEY.

Witnesses HY. SKnRnnT'r, HENRY NORTON SKERRETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

